Although a thick layer of snow blanketed the fields and an icy wind had blown across the moor for the past few days, Joshua Barraclough sat in a chair by the fire, his expression one of utter contentment. Arnold Beaumont had relinquished his claim; the fields were Joshua’s.
Edith set the table for tea; plates of home-cured ham accompanied by a thick mustard sauce, pickled eggs and boiled potatoes, and a rich, dark boiled fruit cake for afters.
‘That looks tasty,’ said Lacey, lifting Richard up on to a chair piled with cushions so that he could reach the table.
Edith flushed with pleasure. ‘Aye, we’ve never gone short o’ much, what with having us own eggs an’ a pig or two; although I can’t say I’ll ever get used to this margarine, it’s not a patch on butter.’ Disdainfully, she scraped the pale yellow substance onto slices of bread. The family sat down and tucked into the spread, talking nineteen to the dozen as they ate.
‘How are you feeling now you’ve got over the morning sickness, Molly?’ Lacey asked the sister-in-law she had grown to love and admire.
Molly, nursing Joseph on her knee, smiled at Lacey’s concern. ‘I’m gradely. I have a feeling this one might be a girl. It feels different to when I wa’ carrying David and Joseph.’
‘I hope it is,’ said Matt, his features alight with love and pride. ‘We’ve got two lads already; we’re due a little princess.’
David looked quizzically at his stepfather. ‘If the new baby’s going to be a princess, does that mean I’m a prince?’
Matt, who loved David as his own, laughed. ‘Aye, you’re a prince among men, an’ so’s our Joseph. I’m fair proud knowing I’ve got two lads to help me run Netherfold when I get too old to do it meself.’
‘Just like I am wi’ you, Matt; you’ve helped me keep this place going. I couldn’t a done it wi’out you.’ Not used to showing his emotions, Joshua’s cheeks reddened and he cleared his throat noisily.
Although Joshua had spoken from the heart, no barbed insinuation intended, Lacey immediately thought of Jimmy who, much to his father’s regret, had chosen to work in the Mill rather than on the smallholding. ‘What time does our Jimmy arrive on Tuesday?’ she asked.
‘His train gets into Huddersfield at three. We’re all going to meet him; your Dad an’ all.’ Edith’s face softened, her excitement at welcoming home her youngest son palpable.
‘If I get me work finished afore noon,’ growled Joshua.
Edith shot him a warm smile. She had been desolate when Joshua disowned Jimmy after his scandalous involvement in the Mill robbery. His refusal to visit Jimmy in prison had torn Edith apart. The rift had been partially healed when Jimmy was found to be nothing more than misguided, and his enlistment to fight for king and country had done much to restore Joshua’s pride in his younger son. Now, Jimmy soon to be welcomed back into the bosom of the family, Edith could give him the homecoming he deserved.
‘I’ll come too,’ Lacey said, ‘make it a real family welcome: Barracloughs united.’
‘Have you heard from Nathan, lass?’ Joshua’s eyes conveying sympathy, he smiled tenderly at his much loved daughter.
Lacey, knowing how much he understood her pain, smiled back. ‘Not since the letter telling me he was being moved to another camp, ready for repatriation. He says it could be weeks before he finally arrives back in England. I’ve waited so long; a bit longer won’t hurt.’
Edith’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Just to know both our boys are coming back makes me feel more than blessed.’
‘Me an’ all,’ Lacey said, quelling a frisson of fear. Nathan was still far away. Please God, don’t let there be a last minute catastrophe. She had, much to her horror, read a newspaper article reporting that the Germans had shot some Prisoners of War rather than set them free when the Armistice had been declared. She lifted Richard from the chair next to hers and sat him on her knee, hiding her face in his neck to stem her tears.
Sensing Lacey’s anxiety, Molly changed the subject. ‘I hope you’ve got your best bib an’ tucker pressed for tomorrow when you go to Felicity’s wedding. We can’t have you letting Lacey’s Modistes down.’
Lacey grimaced. ‘It’s a society wedding; I’ll have to look me best.’
‘You will,’ Edith said archly. ‘You’ve done well for yourself, our Lacey. You’re that respected in Garsthwaite I wouldn’t be surprised if you got an invitation to Buckingham Palace.’
Lacey laughed at Edith’s boast. ‘Jonas Brearley’s mansion will do me.’ She smiled mischievously. ‘Remember how it was when me and Nathan first got together; Ma Brearley couldn’t stand the sight of me and Jonas wasn’t too keen either. I bet when he first employed me in his weaving shed he never imagined I’d end up as his daughter-in-law.’
*
Yet again, Lacey stood in the drawing room at Fenay Hall but, unlike her first visit to the mansion five years ago when Nathan invited her to the Mill managers’ party, she felt completely at ease. Today nobody would belittle her; she had earned their respect. Mind you, she thought, taking a sip of champagne, it was damned hard work in the beginning but it’s all been worth it.
She watched with pride as Felicity and Stefan circled the drawing room greeting their wedding guests. He looks like a learned prince with his gold rimmed spectacles and bushy beard, and she looks like an ice queen, thought Lacey, her eyes on the shimmering moiré silk dress she had made.
Stefan had arrived in England shortly before Christmas, Felicity dashing to meet him in London. ‘You should tell your parents about him,’ Lacey had advised when Felicity told her of his arrival. ‘If you want to be truly happy, you can’t go on meeting him in secret.’
Felicity had taken Lacey’s advice, and to her amazement Constance and Jonas had issued a somewhat hesitant invitation for her to bring Stefan to the Hall.
‘If only to assess his suitability,’ Constance told Lacey on the day Felicity left for London. ‘She’s inclined to be headstrong and not the best judge of character, yet, knowing Felicity, our opinion will count for nothing.’
‘She’s not the flighty young girl we all thought we knew,’ responded Lacey, ‘she’s loved this man for more than three years. Circumstances being what they were, she hid her feelings but she never lost faith in him. Their love wouldn’t have stood the strain had it not been true. As it is, it’s as strong as ever. I’m sure you’ll approve of him.’
They did. Charmed by the quiet, serious young doctor who made their daughter deliriously happy, Constance and Jonas had acquiesced to Felicity’s request to marry as soon as possible. What better way to start the New Year 1919 than a wedding. Now here Lacey was, clasping a glass of champagne and enjoying the occasion, saddened by Nathan’s absence but delighted for Felicity.
It’s nothing short of marvellous how things have worked out, she mused, as she surveyed the happy scene. Felicity has her Stefan, I’ll soon have my Nathan back where he belongs and here I am surrounded by family and friends, completely at home in a house where once I was ostracized and scorned for being working class.
She gazed around the spacious drawing room, admiring the elegant, velvet covered chairs and sofas and the fine pieces of furniture, their rich patina gleaming under the light cast by two huge crystal chandeliers in the ornate ceiling.
I helped pay for some of this, she thought; every pick my loom made, every loose end I caught, every bobbin I changed, every piece I wove bought a tiny bit of this splendour. There was a time when I couldn’t have imagined such grandeur; now I’m part of it.
‘She looks beautiful, doesn’t she?’ Jonas, bursting with pride, gestured with his glass to where Felicity stood posing for a photograph with some of her guests.
‘She does, Jonas,’ Lacey agreed wholeheartedly, ‘Felicity is beautiful inside and out. It was a privilege to make her wedding dress.’
‘Aye, and you made a damned good job of it; you’ve come on rightly since the day you bullied me into giving the lasses at the mill decent closets.’ He laughed at the memory. Lacey laughed too.
‘Thanks for the compliment, and the closets.’
Jonas laughed again. ‘You don’t alter do you, lass? You say exactly what you’re thinking. That’s what I like about you.’
‘There’s no point in burying yourself in thoughts,’ Lacey replied. ‘If you think something needs doing then it usually does. I’ve only ever tried to do what I thought might improve my own and other people’s lives.’
‘And you’ve done that, lass. You’re a proper businesswoman these days. I’m sure Nathan’s as proud of you as I am. You kept your independence; not once did you come crying for a handout, as some do.’ He grimaced, Lacey knowing he referred to Alice. ‘You deserve all the credit you get. You’ve come a long way.’ Jonas patted Lacey’s shoulder fondly then moved off to greet a fellow mill owner.
There it was again, that phrase. I have come a long way, Lacey thought, and if I can continue the rest of the journey with Nathan by my side I’ll be the happiest woman in the world.
*
On a Tuesday afternoon in January 1919, at exactly three thirty, the Leeds to Liverpool train chuffed into Huddersfield station, wheezing and clanking as it drew to a halt. Doors flew open, the Barracloughs craning their necks, each wanting to be the first to catch sight of Jimmy.
‘There he is!’ Joshua’s roar startled Richard enough for him to look fearful. He, who had never seen his Uncle Jimmy, scanned the faces of men crowding the platform, many of them dressed in drab brown greatcoats.
Joshua, Matt and Edith surged forwards, behind them Lacey, Molly and their children, the young ones watching in amazement as their parents and grandparents hugged and kissed a stocky little man wearing a huge overcoat and a lopsided cap. Eventually they released him, all except Edith who clung to Jimmy as though she would never let go.
Jimmy glanced from one family member to another, a huge grin on his face. ‘By, but I wasn’t expecting a full turn out.’ He fixed his eyes on Joshua. ‘It’s good to see you, Dad.’
Joshua clapped Jimmy heartily on the shoulder. ‘It’s good to see you, lad. Good to have you back.’ His voice wobbled, tears springing to his eyes. To stem them he jested, ‘Now your mother can get summat done instead o’ sitting moping.’
‘An’ this must be Molly.’ Jimmy gave Molly a cheeky wink. ‘What did you do to get this miserable brother o’ mine to t’altar. I thought he’d always be an old bachelor farmer.’
Molly blushed. Matt came to her rescue. ‘She didn’t have to force me. I fell for her t’minute I saw her.’
‘An’ now you’re the father of two lads an’ one on the way. Congratulations, pal.’
Matt pumped Jimmy’s hand yet again, eyeing him up and down. ‘You’ve filled out since we last saw you. What happened to the skinny kid what joined up?’
Jimmy grinned. ‘I left him in France. He wa’ a useless, stupid bugger, so I dumped him.’
*
The kitchen at Netherfold hummed with happiness as they all crowded in for Jimmy’s homecoming, Jimmy delighted when Joan, Alfie and young James joined them. ‘You lucky bugger,’ he said when introduced to Alfie. ‘She left me high an’ dry when she married Stanley, now she’s gone an’ done it again.’ Knowing Jimmy was joking everyone, including Alfie, laughed.
‘Take your coat off, lad, make yourself at home,’ cried Edith, undoing the brass buttons on Jimmy’s coat. Jimmy flapped at her hands playfully, saying, ‘She still thinks I’m a bairn.’
‘What are you still wearing an army greatcoat for?’ Lacey asked as she hung Jimmy’s coat behind the door.
‘Eh, don’t sneer. I paid for that. They gave me fifty-two shillings and sixpence in place of a demob suit an’ told me if I wanted to keep the greatcoat I had to pay a pound for it.’
‘They charged you for a coat you’ve been wearing for the past four years fighting for king an’ country,’ squealed Edith, her eyes popping. ‘Well I never.’
‘If I return it I can get me money back, but I don’t think I’ll bother. I’ve grown fond of it.’ Jimmy’s face softened, memories of his days at The Front suddenly surging back. ‘You’d be surprised at the things we used to treasure over there. That old coat’s kept me warm an’ dry many a night.’
‘I know what you mean,’ Alfie said softly, ‘I brought mine back wi’ me. I only wish I’d brought this.’ He tapped the table with the prosthesis.
Jimmy gazed at Alfie, his eyes full of sympathy. ‘Aye,’ he said heavily, ‘there were lads in my regiment ended up t’same way, the poor buggers. But hey, you’re here an’ alive an’ wed to our Joanie. How lucky does that make you?’
‘The luckiest man alive,’ Alfie said, his voice thick with emotion.
Edith set about preparing a spread fit for a king, Molly and Joan assisting. Lacey sent the boys to play in the parlour, telling them to be good for this was a special occasion. ‘Your Uncle Jimmy’s a hero,’ she said, ‘and you’ve got to behave when there’s a hero in the house.’
‘By bloody hell,’ Jimmy exclaimed, coming in behind her, ‘I never thought I’d hear you saying that about me. You always thought I wa’ a daft little bugger.’
Lacey ruffled his hair, ‘Not any more. You’ve fought a war and made Dad proud. You’ve grown into a grand man, Jimmy. I always knew you would. Though you’re still careless with your tongue. Mind your language in front of these youngsters.’
Jimmy saluted. ‘Sorry, Lacey. Over there we did plenty of cursing, but then we’d plenty to curse about.’
Lacey ushered him out of the boys’ earshot. ‘It must have been terrible; was it truly as bad as the newspapers made out?’
‘Worse. You couldn’t describe some of the stuff I’ve seen an’ done. An’ don’t ask me now ‘cos I don’t want to remember… not today. Mind you, there are some things I’ll never forget; good mates that were blown to bloody smithereens an’ others who were gassed an’ went crazy.’
Jimmy’s face creased painfully and he shook his head to dispel the ghastly memories. ‘But hey, I wa’ one o’ t’lucky ones. Here I am. An’ don’t you go getting all mopey, ‘cos like me your Nathan will be home any day. They’re repatriating ‘em as fast as they can. A whole lot o’ them fellows I travelled up from London wi’ had been POW’s. They’re all coming home; wait an’ see.’
*
Wait and see, Jimmy had said. Lacey did, but it wasn’t easy. Every day she waited for the letter that would herald Nathan’s arrival. Would he have changed so completely she’d have to get to know him all over again? Jimmy had changed. There was a serious side to him now.
‘It’s a bit like the parable of the Prodigal Son,’ Matt groaned to Lacey, when he called to collect Molly from work. ‘If me mother serves up another dinner like the ones she’s dished up ever since he came home, we’ll all be as fat as Fred Porter’s pigs. Mind you, our Jimmy’s certainly earnin’ his keep; an’ I never thought you’d hear me say that.’
Jimmy had decided to stay at Netherfold, his intention being to expand Edith’s chicken and turkey business. ‘We’ll increase t’number o’ birds,’ Jimmy told Edith, ‘an’ now I can drive, we can be poultry merchants. I’ve already organised gettin’ a lorry from a mate in me old regiment, an’ I’ll have them new rearing pens and chicken houses built before t’end o’ t’month.’
When Lacey heard of Jimmy’s plans she said, ‘By, he certainly has changed.’
Two weeks after his homecoming, his family discovered exactly how much.
*
‘Did you see this in t’paper?’ cried Matt, bursting into the kitchen at Netherfold waving a copy of the Garsthwaite Chronicle. He’d gone into the town earlier that day to deliver mutton to the butcher.
Edith and Lacey looked up from the paper patterns they were examining for Edith’s new dress. ‘What is it?’ they chorused.
‘It’s our Jimmy. He’s a bloody hero. Just listen to this.’ At that precise moment Joshua lumbered in from the yard. Matt waved the paper at him.
‘Dad, listen to this.’ Matt held the paper up and began to read, his voice ringing with pride.
A HERO IN OUR MIDST
Matt paused. ‘That’s the headline. Now hear the rest of it.’ He paused again to clear his throat:
It has recently come to our attention that we have a hero in our midst: none other than James Barraclough, son of Joshua and Edith Barraclough of Netherfold Farm. Whilst serving in France with the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry, Lance Corporal James Barraclough risked his life to save that of three of his comrades. Under heavy fire, Lance Corporal Barraclough single-handedly destroyed a German gun emplacement which was threatening his own and the lives of his fellow soldiers. On a separate occasion he rescued an injured comrade, again under a hail of enemy fire, the unlucky soldier having been left for dead after the Hun invaded their trench. For these acts of gallantry James Barraclough has been awarded the Military Medal. We are extremely proud and honoured to learn that a son of Garsthwaite distinguished himself so bravely on the battlefield.’
In the silence that followed, each member of Jimmy’s family digested the glowing report and then reflected on the feckless young lad he had once been. Edith shook her head, bewildered: how was it ‘her bairn’, as she still thought of him, had had the courage to perform such heroic deeds? Lacey felt her heart swell with pride for the lad who had once endangered himself to protect her honour, and Matt silently acknowledged that his useless little brother wasn’t so useless after all. Joshua recalled the times he had badgered the boy for his dislike of farming. Now, he wiped tears from his eyes, and choking on his words said, ‘He never mentioned nowt about that.’
‘He didn’t even mention it when I asked him what it was like in France,’ said Lacey, lifting Richard up on her knee and hugging him tight as she marvelled at her brother’s bravery.
Matt set the paper on the table so that they could read the article for themselves. ‘Our Jimmy, a hero,’ he said, his tone filled with awe. ‘He kept that one quiet.’
‘He never wa’ boastful,’ said Edith, her face pink with pride, her tone loving, ‘but I never thought he wa’ brave enough to do summat like that.’
Lacey chuckled. ‘He’d do it without even thinking of the consequences. That’s our Jimmy all over.’
‘What’s our Jimmy all over? What have I done wrong now?’ Jimmy ambled into the kitchen, just in time to hear Lacey’s last remark.
‘It’s what you did right, lad, that we’re talking about.’ Joshua stood and stuck out his hand for Jimmy to shake. ‘I’ve never been prouder in all me life.’
Ignoring Joshua’s outstretched hand, Jimmy asked, ‘What are you on about?’
‘This. In t’paper.’ Matt shoved the Chronicle at Jimmy. ‘Why din’t you tell us you wa’ a hero?’
Jimmy skimmed the article, a gamut of expressions flitting across his face. Finally, he grinned. ‘I’m no bloody hero. I just did what I could. It’s what you do out there. You looked out for one another. They’d a done t’same for me.’ He tossed the paper onto the table, his eyes darkening as memories flooded back, a poignant smile curving his lips.
The smile stretched into a wide grin. ‘When t’commanding officer told me they were givin’ me a medal, I thought he were kidding. Then a bit after, they had a ceremony and pinned it on me uniform.’
‘Where is it now?’ cried Lacey.
‘Upstairs wi’ me other stuff.’
Matt gave Jimmy a gentle shove. ‘Go an’ get it, you daft ha’porth; let’s see it.’
Jimmy returned with a small leather box in his hand. ‘I wasn’t only one as got one,’ he said self-effacingly, and handed the medal to Edith. ‘Here Mam, you have it. You deserve it for puttin’ up wi’ me when I wa’ a young ‘un.’
Edith clasped the medal to her lips, then passed it to Joshua who handed it to Lacey who gave it to Matt, each of them marvelling at the silver disc suspended from a bar threaded with a red, white and blue ribbon.
Tears streamed down Edith’s cheeks. ‘Eeh, lad, you’ll never know how proud I am; words fail me.’
‘That’ll be a first then,’ said Jimmy, his cheeky remark making everyone laugh, and easing the solemnity of the moment. He picked up the paper and scanned the report again. ‘Last time me name wa’ in t’Chronicle nobody wa’ happy,’ he said, recalling the report of the mill robbery.
‘That’s all in the past, luv,’ Edith said, ‘forgiven an’ forgotten like this rotten war should be. From now on we’ll not look back. We’ll look forward to a better future… for all of us.’ She smiled fondly at Lacey. ‘You an’ all, luv; it’ll not be long now before Nathan’s home.’
Lacey walked back to Towngate feeling happier than she had for some time. Her elation stayed with her throughout the evening and she went to bed feeling contented for the first time in ages.
*
It was past midnight, Towngate devoid of all human activity save for that of two women, a young one who dithered nervously as she scuttled in the shadows behind an older woman whose steps were determined and whose eyes glinted with demonic zeal.
At the entrance to the alleyway leading to the rear of Lacey’s Modistes the older woman signalled a halt. She glanced left, then right and, sure of being unobserved, dodged into the dark passage, dragging the younger woman in behind her.
‘Mama, this is madness!’ The young woman’s quivering whisper betrayed extreme consternation.
Alice clamped a hand to Violet’s mouth. ‘Shut up, you little fool,’ she hissed, ‘Nathan’s coming home and if he is to be ours you must do as I say. Now stop your whimpering and keep an eye out for anyone approaching. It’s not likely at this hour, but should I be disturbed you must alert me at once.’
Wild eyed, Violet struggled to free herself. ‘Mama, I beg you, please don’t do this. I promise to find another man to marry; one just as wealthy as Nathan.’
‘I want none other than Nathan Brearley for you,’ snarled Alice, tightening her grip. ‘Once this night is over, you will have what should have rightly been yours in the first place. I’m doing it for you. Don’t I always put your needs before my own?’ She scurried down the passage. Violet, paralysed, listened to Alice’s fading footsteps.
The small pane of glass broke easily, the sound muffled by the wad of cloth Alice placed against it before striking a sharp blow with a hammer. She stowed the hammer in her capacious cloak pocket; it clinked against the small bottle already there. The cloth wrapped round her hand, Alice cautiously reached for the key Lacey had left in the lock.
At the top of the staircase Alice paused, unsure where Lacey slept. Judging it to be in the room overlooking the street she took the bottle from her pocket and sprinkled its contents on the cloth still in her hand.
Lacey smelt the sweet, cloying odour before she felt the fingers clawing at her neck. Instinctively, she rolled away. Something damp slapped against the bare flesh above the neck of her nightdress. Dizzied by the fumes, she struggled to free herself from the iron grip on her shoulder. With one tremendous surge she threw herself out of the far side of the bed, wincing as a clump of her hair stayed in the frantic, restraining hand.
On her feet, Lacey woozily faced her assailant. Alice glared back, her eyes wild and her breathing laboured. For several seconds they stared at one another, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The chloroform’s vapour dissipating, Lacey’s head cleared, her mind sharpening. She fixed her eyes on the door. Deliberately.
Down in the passage Violet trembled at the sound of heavy footsteps tromping along Towngate. Incapable of suppressing the urge, she stepped out into the street, almost colliding with Constable Jack Eastwood, patrolling his patch on night duty.
Up in the bedroom, Alice anticipated Lacey’s next move. She darted to the door, utterly confounded when Lacey scrambled across the bed and dashed to the window. Throwing it wide open, Lacey yelled at the top of her lungs.
*
After that, it was all a blur.
Lacey tottered downstairs to find Alice struggling with Jack Eastwood, Alice screeching maniacally as she tried to break his grip and attack Lacey again. Violet cowered in the corner by the door, sobbing and blabbering apologies. Joan and Alfie, alerted by the racket, burst in from next door, Alfie’s urgent telephone call bringing two burly policemen and the Black Maria. As Jack and his two colleagues led Alice and Violet out, Alice’s eyes met Lacey’s. ‘Whore,’ she shrieked.
Lacey thought she would never forget Alice’s crazed glare.
Joan made a pot of tea, and for hers and Alfie’s benefit, Lacey shakily went over the terrifying events from the moment she realised Alice was in her bedroom to Jack Eastwood’s intervention and Joan and Alfie’s arrival. ‘The evil bitch.’ Joan exclaimed, ‘she needs locking up.’
They talked into the small hours, Alfie eventually leaving with Richard in his arms. ‘I’ll put him in with James for the rest of the night,’ he said to Lacey and to Joan he said, ‘You stay and keep an eye on her.’
Lacey had thought she would never sleep again. Now, she awoke to find herself in the parlour, slumped in the same chair she had fallen into shortly after the Black Maria had taken Alice and Violet away. It was daylight, shafts of bright sun were lancing through the gaps in the curtains. Her body ached and inside her head she could still hear the shrilling police whistle, the thudding feet and the shrieks and yells that had followed her own screams.
It was like waking from a nightmare.
Her fingers strayed to the wheals on her neck put there by Alice’s clawing hand. They were real enough, and although she had earlier rinsed her face she could still smell the cloying sweetness of chloroform that clung to the neck of her nightdress.
In the opposite chair, Joan stirred. ‘You’re awake then?’ she said.
Lacey yawned and sat upright. ‘I need a bath,’ she said, but when she stood her legs buckled under her. Joan leapt up and caught her. Taking strength from her cousin’s warm embrace Lacey said. ‘Thank God that’s over and done with. Wasn’t Jack Eastwood absolutely wonderful? He probably saved my life.’
‘Aye, so you keep saying. You told him that a dozen times last night.’
*
About an hour later, Lacey walked wearily to Fenay Hall. She had to let them know what had happened before anyone else did. A dank fog hung over the mansion, drops of moisture dripping from the bare branches of the trees onto Lacey’s head as she trudged up the drive. It seemed to Lacey like the perfect setting for what she was about to tell her in-laws.
Soames answered the door, surprised to see Lacey at such an early hour. ‘They’re just sitting down to breakfast,’ he said.
This will spoil their appetites, Lacey thought, as she entered the breakfast room. Two anxious faces met hers as she sat down – had she come with bad news about Nathan? On learning she had not, anxiety changed to anger as she told them what Alice had done.
‘That appalling bloody woman,’ growled Jonas, ‘I hope they lock her up and throw away the key.’ He rang for Soames, asking him to summon Felicity and John Hinchcliffe. ‘Felicity needs to hear this from us,’ he said, ‘and we need John to set the wheels of the law in motion.’
John arrived almost immediately and Felicity a short while after, her curiosity at being summoned at such an early hour having sent her into a complete tizz. ‘Is it Nathan?’ she asked, her eyes wide with fear. Assured that it wasn’t, she listened and was shocked to the core as Lacey repeated the gory details yet again. ‘I always thought she was a barmy old bat,’ she said, ‘but I never for a moment thought she’d commit murder.’
Constance fanned her face in an attempt to dispel the nausea that had plagued her from the moment she first heard the news. ‘I can’t believe it,’ she moaned, ‘that a member of my family would stoop to such a vile crime.’
Jonas harrumphed. ‘Alice is deranged. I’ve been saying so for years. Now do you believe me?’
Lacey patted Constance’s arm. ‘Don’t feel guilty, Mother Brearley. You’re not to blame for Alice’s madness,’ she declared stoutly. ‘It was just lucky for me Jack Eastwood came along when he did.’ She let out a deep sigh. ‘God knows what might have happened if he hadn’t. I’d have probably ended up strangling the old bitch.’ She essayed a shaky laugh, the events of the previous night still raw. Felicity laughed out loud at the idea and said, ‘If I’d been there I’d have helped you.’
‘It’s no laughing matter, Felicity,’ Constance said disapprovingly.
‘Indeed it isn’t,’ John Hinchcliffe said, ‘but it’s over now, Lacey. There’ll be no more trouble from Mrs Burrows.’ He smiled encouragingly into Lacey’s wan face. ‘She’ll most likely be incarcerated in the asylum at Storthes Hall and held there until her mental state is fully assessed. Then she’ll stand trial. So, there you have it.’
‘Poor Alice.’ Lacey’s concern was genuine.
‘Poor Violet,’ echoed Felicity, ‘she’ll feel responsible for this for the rest of her life. It was bad enough her mother using her to snare a rich husband, but now she’s doomed to spinsterhood; any decent man will run a mile once he hears of Alice’s exploits.’
‘Perhaps we should extend the hand of friendship to poor Violet,’ said Constance, hesitantly, ‘she’ll need some support after all this.’
Jonas gave her a warning glare. ‘It’s over and done with. Leave it at that.’
At her own insistence, Lacey walked back to the house in Towngate alone wondering why she didn’t feel more elated.